Lyme Disease - even with tick prevention

Momma2Bullies

New member
Aug 2, 2012
356
26
Canada
Bulldog(s) Names
Layla and Wilbur
Freaking out....
Iā€™m in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Both of the dogs are on flea/tick routine (nexguard) from
April-November.
This weekend my girl Layla was really lethargic (even more than normal
for the insane heat weā€™ve been having). She stopped eating, wouldnā€™t drink, was so hot and wouldnā€™t settle... I started to suspect a fever and I was worried she was getting dehydrated. I had planned to see my vet today, but last night she was in such distress ( as was I) and a large swelling was forming in her throat. She was shivering and burning up.

By 3am I was at the emergency vet, thinking I would be bringing her home with some antibiotics. Instead she is admitted to critical care - she has basically zero platelets in her blood and elevated kidney protein levels and tested positive for Lyme. I donā€™t know how long sheā€™ll be in, if she has permanent kidney damage, or what is going to happen.

Lyme was never on my radar. I know ticks are prevalent, as is Lyme, in my area, I thought I was taking enough precautions for my dogs. The emergency vet said yes. April-Nov is the recommendation for tick meds but if there is a January thaw or any day above 4 degrees ticks can be active. Of course here in Ontario we have thaws and above-freezing days in March, this must have been when she got bit. I am devastated that I somehow didnā€™t notice a tick on her, we all know how much we have our hands all over our EBs. I am devastated that I never even thought about Lyme. Since Wilbur got sick last fall, I havenā€™t taken my dogs walking on my forest path, they havenā€™t been to any dog parks, basically they havenā€™t left my fenced yard...

I guess the lesson here is that Lyme is out there and very real. I will be keeping my dogs on tick prevention year-round now. I am praying that a month of antibiotics will rid Layla of the bacteria, that her kidneys are not damaged, that the mass on her neck is due to swollen lymph glands. If your babies are lethargic, weak, not eating, fever.... donā€™t dismiss Lyme.
 
OMG - so sorry you and Layla are going through this. That is so scary. Hoping and praying and wishing Layla a complete recovery!! :assurred:
 
OMG this is horrible, your poor girl... I have seen SO many people affected by Lyme's disease and NOW the pets. I've been making my pups wear protection year round here too because the weather is so unpredictable.

I hope your baby feels better soon... what can they do for her at this point?
 
How awful. I am so sorry to hear about this and hope she fully recovers, poor baby. Please keep us up to date.
 
Sending you tons of healing prayers and positive thoughts.... please keep us posted and I so hope she recovers from this quickly.

(hugs)
 
So very sorry for precious Layla !!! Prayers that she'll be okay!! Many (( hugs )) to you!
 
Thanks everyone... today (July 25) she is still in the hospital. We go to visit her everyday and we brought Wilbur to see her as well. He is missing her so much.
When we saw her Monday she seems a little better, but yesterday she was shivering again and very tired ... the specialist says her body is working hard fighting the bacteria. The major concern are her kidney values. It looks like this is the strain of Lyme that impacts kidneys. The specialist still has hope that the fluid therapy will help.
Iā€™m having a very difficult time coping with this and Iā€™m trying not to read up Online about kidney failure secondary to Lyme.... I already know what that means. Iā€™m completely devastated, my dogs are my top priority and I truly feel that I have failed her. This was not even in my mind... I always make sure they have their tick meds, I just never thought this would happen. Wilburā€™s illness took over the household, and she was always so perfectly healthy and strong. For this to happen is more than heartbreaking.
They will be checking her kidney levels again today, and she will have an ultrasound as well. I will be able to go visit her later this afternoon. My beautiful girl.

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Thanks everyone... today (July 25) she is still in the hospital. We go to visit her everyday and we brought Wilbur to see her as well. He is missing her so much.
When we saw her Monday she seems a little better, but yesterday she was shivering again and very tired ... the specialist says her body is working hard fighting the bacteria. The major concern are her kidney values. It looks like this is the strain of Lyme that impacts kidneys. The specialist still has hope that the fluid therapy will help.
Iā€™m having a very difficult time coping with this and Iā€™m trying not to read up Online about kidney failure secondary to Lyme.... I already know what that means. Iā€™m completely devastated, my dogs are my top priority and I truly feel that I have failed her. This was not even in my mind... I always make sure they have their tick meds, I just never thought this would happen. Wilburā€™s illness took over the household, and she was always so perfectly healthy and strong. For this to happen is more than heartbreaking.
They will be checking her kidney levels again today, and she will have an ultrasound as well. I will be able to go visit her later this afternoon. My beautiful girl.

View attachment 113363View attachment 113364

I am so, so sorry to read this. My heart goes out to you. I hope she can recover from this.
 
[MENTION=5605]Momma2Bullies[/MENTION], I've just cross Canada and should be back in Alberta tomorrow. I have the pups with me. When I read your post I swear I over sprayed both with this mixture use on them for ticks/fleas before crossing through Ontario. But there something I thought of that you should look into. It's MCT oil. Last spring, i was at a big health food chain store that holds my products and met this man looking for MCT oil. I told him where it was as I recall seeing it. I told him "it's great healthy oil." He said it's for his sister as she has Lyme disease. Now that caught my attention. Asked him how MCT works for his sister. According to him, he said his sister had Lyme very chronic and couldn't move nor get out of bed. She started taking MCT 2yrs ago and she lives a normal life as he put it. Days he said she can have an odd day but she doesn't let that bring her down. I know I use MCT in my salads or smoothies n it's such a great oil. I for sure would try it if it was my 2 dogs. I would start with one teaspoon per day as it will also clean your intestines. Look up MCT and read up on it. Just a thought.

https://draxe.com/mct-oil/


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May God be with you & your family. I join the strength
& faith of the loving prayers lifting beloved Layla's needs
before her Creator. DO NOT listen to any lies that you failed
Layla...lies from hell. She is a strong girl and she fights!

Sending love to all, we fight with y'all for complete recovery.
 
@hellsonwheels Thank you so much, I will look into it. I hope she survives and can come home... sheā€™ll have complications from this for the rest of her life.
 
Thanks everyone... today (July 25) she is still in the hospital. We go to visit her everyday and we brought Wilbur to see her as well. He is missing her so much.
When we saw her Monday she seems a little better, but yesterday she was shivering again and very tired ... the specialist says her body is working hard fighting the bacteria. The major concern are her kidney values. It looks like this is the strain of Lyme that impacts kidneys. The specialist still has hope that the fluid therapy will help.
Iā€™m having a very difficult time coping with this and Iā€™m trying not to read up Online about kidney failure secondary to Lyme.... I already know what that means. Iā€™m completely devastated, my dogs are my top priority and I truly feel that I have failed her. This was not even in my mind... I always make sure they have their tick meds, I just never thought this would happen. Wilburā€™s illness took over the household, and she was always so perfectly healthy and strong. For this to happen is more than heartbreaking.
They will be checking her kidney levels again today, and she will have an ultrasound as well. I will be able to go visit her later this afternoon. My beautiful girl.

View attachment 113363View attachment 113364


:cry: sending tons of hugs and positive thoughts
 
@hellsonwheels Thank you so much, I will look into it. I hope she survives and can come home... sheā€™ll have complications from this for the rest of her life.

Positive thoughts bella. :yes: and yes, I know itā€™s extremely hard to be positive. My thoughts are with you all. :assurred:
 
SHE IS HOME:)
Layla was stable enough to come home yesterday (28th). She is very weak, thin and exhausted. She seems shell-shocked. She had an ok night, but she isnā€™t really eating, and she will have to go back to the hospital if that doesnā€™t change. Right now she has a UTI (which I hope clears up with these antibiotics but it seems odd that this is still an issue), elevated liver and kidney levels, high blood pressure and of course Lyme. She is on 7 different different medications and will have a recheck with her specialist tomorrow. The road to recovery will be long, and Iā€™m am still hopeful we will get there. But she is home, I can hug her and Wilbur lost his mind when she came in the door. He is keeping a close watch on her and helping me keep all of their medications straight. I am 100% housebound now, between the two of them!! But I wouldnā€™t trade it for anything... I am with my loves ā¤ļø
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"SHE IS HOME :)"

Overwhelmed with gratitude & joy at your words, Bree.
Was listening to Pastor John Hagee speaking about God's might,
the power of faith, the storms in our lives, that God is with us and
hears us, I check to see if there is word on Layla and read that sentence.
I drop to my knees, weeping and praising God, thankful for your blessing.
Will continue praying for complete recovery & send love to all, XOXO
 

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